Furnace.



110.850,888. PATENTED JULY 2s, 1907..

M. VAN B. SMITH.

FURNAGE.

APPLIOATIQN Hmm JUNE zo, 190e.

l l l l l 1 1HE mmms PETERS co.. wAsHlNcmN, n. c.

` 7u /u' ATTORNEYS MARTIN vVAN BUREN SMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application filed June 26, 1906. Serial No. 323,483.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTTN VAN BUREN SMITH, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, of the city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furnaces, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in furnaces, and particularly to regenerator furnaces in which producer gas is adapted to be employed.

The main object of my invention is to simplify furnaces of 'this description, and to provide whereby a uniform heat may be obtained throughout the furnace and the temperature easily regulated, whereby the furnace may be employed for the purpose of malleableizing iron.

With these ends in view I construct a furnace with a central combustion chamber, chambers upon either side thereof with checker work contained therein, and suitable channels, ducts, and controlling valves whereby air is admitted downward through the checker work in either side chamber at will, such air discharging throughopenings between the said side chambers and the combustion chamber at the base thereof, and gas is admitted at about the point at which air enters the combustion chamber, so that the air and gas may be intimately mingled for combustion purposes in the said combustion chamber, and may finally escape through the checker work in the opposite said side-chamber. I so arrange the main air passages leading to each of the said side chambers that they may be used as air inlet passages and passages for the discharge of the spent products of combustion at will, and I preferably provide the valve controlling means for both these two passages at the base of the stack or uptake, all as will be presently more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will now proceed to describe an embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating same, and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In the drawings: Figure I is a view in longitudinal section through the furnace, substantially upon the plane of the line I--l of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a view in horizontal section therethrough substantially upon the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a view in transverse section therethrough substantially upon the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view through the base of the stack and the valve controlling mechanism for the admission of air and the discharge of products of combustion.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, 5 designates the central combustion chamber, and G, 7 the chambers upon either side thereof. These chambers contain checker work S, and are separated from the main combustion chamber 5 by party walls 9. Vertical passages IO connect at their lower ends with hori zontal channels II, I2, and, at their upper ends, with cross-over passages, I3, I3 which lead into the checker work of the chambers G and '7, respectively. The horizontal channels Il and I2 pass round to the rear of the furnace, and connect at their ends with an uptake or stack I4. A deflecting valve l5, operated by a lever I6, opens one or other of the said passages to the said uptake or stack at will. In Fig. 4 of the drawings, it is shown as closing the channel l2 to the stack or uptake I4, and opening the channel Il thereto. Air inlet valves I7 and I8 are arranged beneath the valve l5 at points as low as possible, the said valves arranged to admit air into either of the said channels or to close admission of air thereto.

In Fig. 4 the valve I8 is shown as closed so as to prevent air from entering the channel Il, while the valve I7 is shown as open, so as to admit air to the channel l2. A chain connection I9 is shown between the lever 1G and the valve I7, whereby the valve I7 may be conveniently held open, and, further, whereby the proper Valve I7 or 18 will surely be opened in whichever position the deflecting valve l5 may happen to be adjusted. The chain connection I9 is arranged so that it may be unhooked from connection with the valve 17 and connected instead with the valve I8 when desired.

Gas from a suitable source of supply, such as a producer, arranged at a convenient distance from the furnace, is allowed uto enter a supply channel 20 with which longitudinal flues 2l, 22, parallel with the channels II and I2, are arranged to communicate. Connection between the admission channel 20 and the flues 2l and 22 is controlled by means of saucer valves 23, 24, and gas ports are provided to permit passage of gas from the flues 2l and 22 respectively to the interior of the combustion chamber 5. The point of admission is at substantially the base of the party walls 9, which divide the combustion chamber 5 from the regenerator chambers 6 and 7, the said ports being arranged opposite openings 26, which penetrate the said walls 9 at the base thereof and form the means of communication between the said regenerator chambers 6 and 7 and the said combustion chamber 5. It will be noted that although the openings 2G are at the base of the walls 9, they are just above the level at which air enters the channels at I7 or I8. By this arrangement air will How in readily when either of the said valves I7 or I8 is opened, without the assistance of fans, blowers or the like. In using the furnace, gas is admitted through one orother of the flues 2l., 22 by manipulation of the proper one of the valves 23, 24, while air is admitted to the channel Il or I2 contiguous thereto by opening the proper one of the valves I7, IS. Assuming, for

example, that the valve 17 is opened, and the deflecting valve l5 thrown over to the position shown in Fig.

4, the air valve 18 being closed; and the gas controlling saucer valve 23 opened While the other said gas valve is closed, gas will be admitted through the flue 2l and air through the channel 12. Air will pass up in the direction of thearrows shown in Fig. 3, through the crossover passage 13, down through the checker Work 8 in the chamber 7, and then through the openings 26, where it will meet the incoming gas passing out of the ports 25. The air and gas will be mixed at this point, and, upon being ignited in the combustion chamber 25, will be consumed in the said chamber, the heat generated thereby being used in the said chamber 5 for the desired purposes. Products of combustion will then pass out through the openings 26 in the opposite wall 9, up through the-checker work 8 in the chamber 6, over the cross-over passage 13, down through the vertical passage l0, along the horizontal channel 1l, and up through the uptake 14 to discharge. lhe spent products of combustion in passing through the checker work 8 in the chamber 6, will part with a large portion of the remainder of their heat, whereby the checker work will be heated up to a high degree. After a while the conditions in the furnace may be reversed by closing the air valve 17, throwing over the deflector valve l5, opening the air valve 18, closing the gas valve 23, and opening the gas valve 24. Gas will new enter through the flue 22, and air through the horizontal channel l1. Air in the channel 11 Will pass up the passage l0, and down into the checker work 8 in the chamber 6. This checker work, having been highly heated, will impart heat to the incoming air to raise the temperature of same, so that, as air enters into the chamber 5 through the passages 26, it will be in a preheated condition, and hence in a better condition to part with its oxygen for combustion purposes when mingling with the gas entering from the flue 22. The discharge products will new pass up through the checker work in the opposite chamber 7, heating up the checker work therein, so that, when the conditions are again reversed and gas and air are admitted from the passages 21 and l2, the air drawn through the checker work in the said chamber 7 will be in like manner heated up.

The furnace may be operated first one way and then the other, so that, as the checker Work on one side is cooled by the incoming air, and the checker work on the other side of the chamber is heated by the discharge products of combustion, the reversing of the currents will again supply heat to the checker work which has been cooled, and the heated checker work will give up its heat to the incoming air on the other side.

It will be noted that the currents in adjacent air and gas channels are in directions opposite to each other. Thisarrangement is made because the gas is introduced under pressure greater than atmosphere, 4and the air under pressure'slightly less than atmosphere. The relatively larger quantity of gas delivered at the front end of the gas channel will thus be balanced by the relatively larger quantity of air delivered at the contiguous rear end of the air channel.

l have provided means for controlling the supply of gas through the individual ports 25, such means comprising a movable block 27 arranged above same, with the front face thereof beveled. This block forms, in effect, a valve, which, by being moved back and forth,

may control the extent of discharge permitted through the individual ports 25, or may close such ports altogether against discharge. By means of these regulating devices, I am enabled to readily regulate the supply of gas at different points in the furnace, so as to properly maintain a uniform temperature throughout. When first starting up the furnace, it is of course necessary to supply iiame to ignite the combustible mixture of gas and air as it enters the furnace, and l have also found in actual practice that it is necessary to supply such flame for the first two or three times the currents are reversed. After the first two or three times there is enough heat in the furnace to cause ignition. For the purpose of supplying such flame when necessary, I have provided openings 28 in the front wall of the chamber 5 about in line with the front of the party walls 9, 9. The igniting device may readily consist of a lath the length of the furnace, soaked in kerosene, lighted, and passed in through the said openings 28. This will readily ignite the gases when the gas and air is admitted, and this device may be withdrawn directly ignition takes place.

'In employing the furnace for malleableizing, the pots containing the material to be malleableized may be stacked up in the combustion chamber 5, a certain space being left between the various pots to permit of i ythe proper circulation of the gas, air, and products of combustion. The furnace may, of course, be used for other purposes besides that of malleableizing, yet I have found that it is peculiarly adapted for the foregoing purpose because of the even temperature which may be maintained throughout.

What I claim is:

l. A furnace having a central combustion chamber and two regenerator chambers, one on each side thereof, separated from the combustion-chamber by party Walls, through which, at the base thereof, are inlet passages, independent and unconnected air and gas channels, the former having vertical channels leading therefrom to the top of the regenerators, and the latter having discharge ports leading therefrom into the combustion chamber, and opening into said chamber in front of the inlet passages, and means for controlling the air and gas inlet passages, substantially as set forth.

2. A furnace having a central combustion chamber and two regenerator chambers, one on each side thereof, separated from the combustion chamber by party Walls, through which, at the base thereof, are inlet passages, and independent and unconnected air and gas channels, the former having vertical channels leading therefrom to the top of the regenerators, and the latter having discharge ports leading therefrom into the combustion chamber, a stack or uptake communicating with both the said air channels, a reversing valve closing,` one or other' of the said passages to the said stack or uptake, air inlet valves ari-:urged beneath said reversing valve for admittingI air to either one or other of the said inlet channels, and means for controlling the gas channels, substantially as set forth.

3. A furnace having a central combustion chamber and two regenera tor chambers, one on each side thereof, separated from the combustion chamber by party Walls, through which, at the base thereof, are inlet passages, air and gas channels, the former having vertical channels leading therefrom to the top of the regenerators, and the latter havingl discharge ports leading therefrom into v the combustion chamber, means for controlling the said individual ports or passages, and means for controlling the air and gas inlet passages, substantially as set forth.

4. A furnace having a central combustion chamber and side chambers each separated therefrom by a wall, checker work contained in said chambers, inlet passages from said side chambers to the said combustion chamber through the base or' said side Walls, independent horizontal gas and air channels beneath each of said side chambers. ports r passages leading from said gas channels into said central combustion chamber, contiguous said inlet passages, vertical channels from said air channels` opening to the top of the checker Work in said side chambers, a stack or uptake with which said horizontal air channels communicate, a reversing' valve in said stack or uptake, air admitting valves arranged beneath said reversing valve. and gas controlling valves for the said gas channels.

5. A furnace having a combustion chamber and regcnerator chambers (3 T upon either side thereof containing`- checker Work S, said regenerator chambers separated from said combustion chamber by party Walls 9, said party walls having passages 1 6 at the base thereof, air inlet channels 11 and 12 and gas inlet channels 21 and 22, vertical passages 10 leading from said air channels 11 12, cross-over passages 13 connecting said vertical passages with the checker work in each of said chambers G T, a plurality of gas passages leading from the channels 21 2 and discharging into the chamber 5 adjacent the openings 2G 2G, an uptake 14 connecting with both of said air channels 11 12, a reversing valve 15 in said uptake. air inlet valves 1T 1S in the said uptake beneath the reversing valve. gas controlling valves 23 24, and in dividual controlling means for the gas passages 25.

G. A furnace having a central combustion chamber and two regenerator chambers, one on each side thereof, separated from the combustion chamber by partyrwalls, through which, at the base thereof, are inlet passages, air and gas channels, the former communicating with the upper end of the regenerator chambers and arranged to be opened to atmosphere at points below the said inlet passages, and the latter having discharge ports leading therefrom into the combustion'chamber, substantially as set forth.

7. A furnace having a central combustion chamber, of two regenerator chambers, one on each side thereof, sep arated from the combustion chamber by party Walls, through which, at the base thereof, are inlet passages, independent air and gas channels arranged side by Side beneath the said regenerator chambers, the currents in said air and gas channels arranged to pass, respectively, in opposite directions therethrough, the said air channels having vertical passages leading therefrom to the top of the regenerator, and provided with means for admitting air thereto at a pressure not greater than that of a'tmosphere, and the said gas channels having discharge ports leading therefrom into the combustion chamber at points contiguous to the points at which the said inlet passages open into the said combustion chamber, and adapted to receive and transmit gas under pressure therethrough.

MARTIN VAN BUREN SMITH.

Witnesses D. HOWARD HAYWOOD, LYMAN S. ANDREWS, Jr. 

